Innovation is rarely about a single brilliant idea. It is almost always about making ideas happen, having the energy, courage and the ability to take them from thought to action. And somewhere between idea and action, friction arises.
Friction in innovation work is like invisible brakes. They are not always visible. They are not always heard. But you notice them – in the silence after a meeting, in emails that never get answered, in enthusiastic projects that run out of steam. The good news? Friction can be understood, worked with – and sometimes even used as a guide to what really needs to happen.
What is friction, really?
Friction in the context of innovation is all the small and large obstacles that prevent something from happening. Here are some common types:
- Mental friction: When ideas feel too big, too foreign or just too difficult to grasp.
- Structural friction: When processes, regulations or organizations are not built for innovative thinking.
- Social friction: When there is concern about what others will think, or when roles, culture or communication clash.
- Time friction: When people experience that the new takes more time than the old.
- Access friction: When it is complicated to access, book, buy, understand or use something new.
And it is precisely access friction – that is, when it is complicated to do the right thing – that is often the most overlooked brake on innovation.
When innovation starts small
An IT manager wanted to introduce a new, secure communication tool. Previously, it had been a mix of SMS, emails and notes. But there was a concern in the organization: “Are we really going to change for everyone at once?”, ”What we have is working”.
Instead of a large-scale rollout, they started in one single team. There, they tested the tool in a critical situation, evaluated it continuously, developed simple guides and let them participate in adapting the functions. The team received a smooth app – and immediately started giving positive feedback.
The effect? Colleagues in other work teams saw how easy it could be, and after a few months more people asked to try it.
Today it is standard and no one wants to go back. It all started with minimizing friction at the start, keeping it small, simple and safe.
Circular economy that spread through consistency
An environmental strategist at a major company was tired of sustainability issues remaining in policy documents. So she started to act – not through big words, but through small, consistent choices. When something needed to be purchased, she suggested second-hand. When it was rebuilt, she suggested recycled materials. She showed examples of what had been saved – not just money, but climate impact.
At first, some shook their heads. But she didn’t give up. She turned down newly produced giveaways and instead ordered bags sewn from old cloths from previous fairs. She talked about circularity in all contexts, showed numbers, showed function. It became difficult to ignore. People began to recognize the way of thinking. And when something feels familiar – then it becomes easier to adopt.
Today, the company has a clear strategy for circular purchasing, and many employees take the initiative themselves. The friction was that it was new and unusual. It disappeared through consistent action.
The friction in booking and how a venue became the most popular
In a cultural center, there were several venues to book for workshops and meetings. But one of the venues, despite being equally central, quickly became by far the most booked.
Why?
It had a booking system that was simpler, clearer and faster than the others. It showed available times directly, bookings could be made on mobile, and a reminder came via text message. The rest of the venues required contact via email or phone – and that someone would get back to them “within a couple of days”.
The person who booked a venue for the first time naturally chose the easy one. The one who was stressed as well. After a while, the venue started to be called “the favorite” – even though the other rooms were often both larger and better equipped.
Here, innovation (the simpler booking system) won by removing friction. Not because it was the most high-tech, but because it was the most user-friendly.
When clarity broke sales records
A salesperson at a car company started doing something unexpectedly simple: every time he met with a potential customer, he ended by saying:
“So if you want to move forward, the next step is to …!”
It was nothing aggressive, nothing exaggerated. Just clarity. The next step was concrete, simple and right within reach.
While other salespeople left with “See you later!” or “Think about it and we’ll do it later!”, he moved on showing the next step to take. Soon he was the top salesperson on the team. Not because he was pushy – but because he eliminated friction in the customer’s decision-making journey and really helped the customer.
How to Work with Friction, Not Against It
Understanding friction is understanding the real resistance to innovation. Here are some principles:
1. Start small
Don’t do everything at once. Do something. Let it grow organically. Small is often faster, cheaper – and less scary.
2. Make it easy to know how to proceed
Reduce the number of steps. Clarify the next action. Make sure everyone knows what happens next.
3. Do what feels familiar
New is hard. But when something is recognized – from language, colors, behaviors – friction immediately decreases.
4. Show, not just tell
Set an example. Create curiosity. Let people see, test, feel. Then friction will decrease.
5. Reward doers
When someone dares to try something new – celebrate it. It builds a culture where forward movement becomes the norm.
Friction often shows the way
Friction is not a sign that you are doing something wrong, it is a compass. It shows where there is friction, where people get stuck, where change is possible. By reducing friction, you lower the thresholds for innovation and then ideas can start to fly.
So the next time you have a brilliant idea and wonder why it’s not happening, ask yourself:
- What’s really causing the friction?
- And how can I make the next step easier for someone else to take?
Because sometimes it’s not the idea that needs to change, it’s the friction that needs to go away.
